Tray box for small bakery products



p 1958 J..W.MElNH AR I JT ETAL 2,850,224

TRAY BOX FOR sum. BAKERY PRODUCTS Filed May 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1FIG],

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TRAY BOX FOR SMALL BAKERY PRODUCTS Filed May 25, 1955 2 Sheets- Sheet 2Warm/vi) United States Patent TRAY BOX FOR SMALL BAKERY PRODUCTS John W.Meinhardt and Dewey W. Tabor, Dallas, Tex., assignors, by mesneassignments, to Crown Zellerbach gorptratlon, San Francisco, Calif., acorporation of eva a Application May 25, 1955, Serial No. 511,068

1 Claim. (Cl. 229-27) The invention relates to a container divided intoa plurality of relatively shallow compartments by an autolglaticallypositioned longitudinal partition forming mem- More spectfically, theinvention provides a rigid container with opposed side walls and top andbottom panels, the interior thereof being divided into a plurality ofshallow, superimposed compartments defined by an inner member folded toform one or more partitions extending at right angles to the side wallsbetween the top and bottom panels of the container. For example, atwocompartment container may be formed from a onepiece paperboard blankscored, slotted and slit to form top and bottom panels and relativelynarrow side walls and a partition member extending in an intermediateplane parallel to the top and bottom panels. The partition member ispositioned as described by a longitudinal positioning panel co-extensivein length and integral with a side edge of the bottom panel, secured tothe lower portion of one. of the side walls, the positioning panel beingof less width than the height of the side walls and integral with theside edge of the partition member. A partition connecting flange, alsoof less width than the height of the side wall, is hinged to theopposite side edge of the partition member and folded right angularlyupward and secured in juxtaposed relation to the upper longitudinalportion of the other side wall. At this stage of the assembly, thecontainer may be readily collapsed for shipment and storage. When it isopened up into rectangular form, the longitudinal positioning panel andpartition connecting flange, which are secured to opposed side walls,serve to automatically position the partition in the desiredintermediate plane parallel with respect to the top and bottom panels ofthe container. The partition member is provided with integral flaps ateach end which are reversely folded inwardly and secured in reinforcingrelation to the underface of the partition member, providing a smoothreinforcing fold at the end edges of the partition. Closure flaps areprovided on each end of the top, bottom and side panels which foldinwardly and are secured together, serving to close the ends and furtherrigidize the entire structure. The described longitudinal positioningpanel may obviously be integral with the top panel of the box and thepartition member secured to the side walls by the positioning panel andconnecting flange in the reverse relation from that described where thepositioning panel is connected to the bottom panel of the box.

If desired, three or more superimposed compartments may be provided inthe tray box by increasing the length of the one-piece blanksufliciently to provide two or more partition members connected togetherby longitudinal positioning panels similar to the positioning panelhereinbefore described.

An object of the invention is to provide a relatively shallowcollapsible one-piece container with self-positioning longitudinalreinforcing partitions connected to opposed side walls extending inplanes parallel to and intermediate the top and bottom panel members,dividing the container into a plurality of spaced, superimposedcompartments of substantially the same horizontal crosssection as thetop and bottom panels, and flaps on the ends of the panel members andside walls, for closing the end and further rigidizing the container.

Another object is to provide a one-piece collapsible container with adividing and reinforcing partition extending in a plane parallel to andintermediate the top and bottom panels, one side of the partition beingsecured to a side wall of the container by a relatively narrow panelintegral with the side of one panel member and the adjacent side of thepartition which automatically folds into juxtaposed relation with theupper margin of one side wall as the blank is opened up into rectangularform, while a connecting flange integral with the opposite side of thepartition folds into juxtaposed position with the reverse margin of theother side wall, the combined width of the longitudinal panel andconnecting flange being substantially equal to the width of each sidewall, the end of the container being closed and rigidized by closureflaps on the ends of the top and bottom panels and side walls.

Still another object is to divide a relatively shallow one-piececontainer longitudinally into two compartments by a partition extendingin a plane parallel to the top and bottom panel members of the containerdisposed intermediate therebetween, the outer portion of one side Wallof the container being reinforced by a longitudinal positioning panelpositioned in flatwise relation thereto, the panel being integral withthe side of one panel member and the adjacent side of the partition, andthe opposite portion of the opposite wall being reinforced by aconnecting flange integral with the opposite adjacent side of thepartition positioned in flatwise relation to the wall, the combinedwidth of the longitudinal panels and the connecting flange beingsubstantially equal to the width of the side walls, the ends of thecontainer being closed by end marginal flaps on the panel members andside Walls. I

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art upon a full and complete understanding of theconstruction and operation of this device.

The invention also consists in the parts and arrangements andcombination of parts hereinafter described and claimed. The accompanyingdrawings form a part of this specification and like numerals and symbolstherein appearing refer to like parts wherever they occur.

Fig. 1 shows a plan View of the blank from which a preferred form of thecontainer is assembled;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the partition member with thereinforcing end flaps folded against the underface thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the container in the process of foldingshowing the partition member in its spaced position prior to folding thetop panel and its attached side wall;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the partially folded containerblank of Fig. 3 taken in the direction of the arrows 4-4;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the completion of the folding ofthe top panel and its attached side wall;

Fig. 6 is a vertical, sectional view of the folded structure of Fig.S-taken in the direction of the arrows 66;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the completely assembled container;

Fig. 8 is a vertical, sectional view of the container of Fig. 7 taken inthe direction of the arrows 83;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a modified blank for assembling into aS-cornpartment container; and

Fig. 10 is a vertical cross section of the container formed from theblank shown in Fig. 9 taken in the same direction with respect to thestructure as the arrows 88 of Fig. 7.

The blank A "for forming a 2- c'ompar'tmentcontainer: shpwn in Fig. 1.Parallel, longitudinal'scores 20 and 21 define theend'edges'of the sideWalls 22 239, the top and bottom panels 24 25 respectively, partitionmember 27 and the ends "of positioning panel 26 integrally connectingthe partition member 27 to the bottom panel 25. The longitudinal scoresals'o "define the inner edges and fold lines of the sidewall and closureflaps 28 and 29, and end closure flaps 30 and 31inte'gr'ally attached tothe top and bottom panels 24 and 25 respectively, and the i'par'titionmember reinforcing flaps 32. Transverse scores 33 define the side edgesof the top panel 24 and the fold lines of side'pa'n'els 22 and 23. Thetransverse scores 34 define the side edges ofthe bottom panel 25 and thesecond fold line "of side panel 23 and the inner fold line of thepositioning panel 26, while the transverse score 35 defines the insideedge 'of the partition member 27 and the outer fold line of positioningpanel 26 while the transverse score 36 defines the outer side edgesrmember 27 and the fold line 'of the connecting flange 37. Slots 38separate the side edges of the closure flaps 28, 2'9, 30 and 31.

The container may be conveniently assembled by folding the reinforcingflaps 32 fiatwise against the under side of the partition panel 27 andsecuring them thereto by glue or other suitable means as shown in Fig.2. The side wall 23 is folded upwardly in perpendicular relation to thebot- "tom panel 25 and the partition member 27 is then superimposed overthe bottom panel 25 with the connecting flange 37 secured in flatwiserelation to the upper portion of the side wall 23. As a result of thisfolding, the positioning panel 2 6 will automatically beome positionedright afngularly upward from the bottom panel 25 and in parallelrelation to the side wall 23. Fig.3 illustrates this stage of theassembly. The top panel 24 is next folded over into parallel relationwith the bottom panel 25 and the partition member 27 and the outermargin of the side wall 22 is secured in fiatwise relation to thepositioning panel 26. The perspective view of Fig. shows the containerin the stage of assembly just described. Flaps 28, 29, -30 and 31 arenow folded inwardly and secured together to close the ends of thecontainer and together with the partition member .provide anexceptionally strong, rigid structure. The position of the several partsof the structure in the fully assembled form of the container areclearly illustrated in the vertical, sectional views of Figs. 6 and 8. p

A modified form of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 9 and whereinthree superimposed compartments are formed within the container. Theblank illustrated in Fig. 9 is similar to the two-compartment blankshown in Fig. 1 but has two-partition panels '40 and 41 'with relativelynarrow connecting panels 42, 43 and flange '44.

The modified form of the container'inay be assembled in a manner similarto the twoco'mpartment form hereinbefore described. The reinforcingflaps 45 and 46 are folded fiatwise against the under side of thepartition panels 40 and 41 and secured by glue or other suitable means.The side wall 23 is folded in perpendicular relation to the bottom panel25 as shown in Fig. 10 and the partition member 40 superimposed over andiniparallel relation to the bottom panel 25' and the positioning panel43 is secured to the side wall 23 at a position intermediate its width.The positioning panel 42 is next secured to the outer portion of theside wall 22. The partition member 41 is then reversely folded parallelto partition 40 and top and bottom panels 24 and 25 and the connecting'4 flange 44 is secured to the inner portion of the side wall 22',completing the assembly of the three-compartment container. beforedescribed by folding and securing the closure flaps 28, 29', 30' and 31'in overlapping relation.

The compartmented container of the invention is especially adapted forpacking, shipping and storing relatively small and fragile bakeryproducts and other fragile articles. Small bakery products, asdistinguished from loavesof bread, for'example, are quite easily'damagedand must be packed in a single layer for transporting and 'delivering tothe retail markets. The subject invention pro vides a thoroughlyreinforced container, resistant to all stresses incident to normalhandling and transportation.

It is to be understood that the embodiments herein described areillustrative and not restrictive, and it is also to be understood thatthe invention may be susceptible of embodiment in other modified formsand that all such modifications which are similar or'equivalent heretocome equally within the "scope of the claim next appearing.

What we claim is:

A one-piece paperboard box for bakery products and the like having topand bottom walls and front and back walls and open ends closea'ble b'yclosure flaps integral with the top, bottom, front and back walls, atleast one substantially fiat partition dividing the box into upper andlower compartments, the partition member having one of its marginalportions upturned at substantially 'a right angle thereto andconstituting a connecting flange of less height than the back wall'whic'ih is integral with the bottom at a fold line, the 'fia'nge beingin engagement with 'the back wall 'and'permanently secufed to an insideupper portion thereof, the opposite marginal portion of the partitionbeing downturned at substantially a right angle thereto and constitutinga front positioning panel and with its lower edge integral at another"fold line with the bottom wall, reinforcing flaps constituting theother opposed marginal portions of the partition reversely folded andsecured in engagement with adjacent portions of the partition,the lengtho'f'the reinforcing flaps being substantially the width of the partitionand the width of the flaps being considerably less than the length ofthe partition, the-top wall being of substantially the same dimensionsas the partition and bottom wall and extending from andintegral with thehinge line at the top of the rear wall and having a closure flap at eachside thereof and having a free edge, a front wall panel projecting fromthe free edge and the dimensions thereof being substantiallythedimensions of the rear wall, whereby the container is collapsiblealong the said fold lines into substantially flat condition for shipmentand storage purposes, whenerected for use the lower portion of the frontwall is parallel with, overlaps and is permanently secured'to thepositioning panel with the top wall permanently closing the top of thecontainer and thus forming the upper compartment in superposed parallelrelation with the lower compartment, the ends of the container beingopen whereby .pastry or the like may be inserted into or removed fromeither end'and inserted into or removed from either compartment, andtheclosure flaps being adapted for closing the respective ends of the box.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,940,292 Bueschel Dec. 19, 1933 1,966,676 Marsh July 17, 1934 2,117,678Reaume May 17, 1938 2,128,197 Weil Aug. 23, 1938 2,693,298 Palmer Nov.2, 1954 The ends of the container are closed herein-

